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Tuesday, April 5, 2016

SURPANAKHA by Hariharan Iyer

Author bio:

Hariharan is a finance professional by default and a writer
by choice. Not content with just a rewarding corporate job, he took to writing
a couple of years ago. He blogged on media and current affairs for a year at
valadyviews.blogspot.com before hitting on the idea for this novel.

Strangely, he got the idea for his first novel while
reading the balance sheets of a few NGOs and corporates! An idea so powerful
that it convinced the accountant in him that he could put together not just a
balance sheet but an intriguing political thriller as well. Indian cinema over
the last many decades has created many stereotypes— ‘Media crusades against
anything bad’, ‘netas are, without a
doubt, evil’ and ‘human rights activists are God’s gift to earth’ to name a
few. What if any of these stereotypes is wrong— What if a human rights
activist, consumed by personal frustration, tries to bring down an elected
government? What if media plays the role of pliable ally? What if a politician
is a victim of circumstances?

Answers to these what
ifs, his wife’s challenge to write a novel out of them and about nine
months’ of labour produced Surpanakha.

Hariharan lives with his wife in Dar es Salaam while his
two sons are pursuing their ambitions in India.

Educated,
young, no-nonsense bearing, able administrator—these are the qualities that won Sesha the loyalties of the people
after three years of rule as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. An allegation
that he was the mastermind behind the murder of 73 Kannadigas threatens to
bring him down but he is miraculously saved in the 11th hour.

Even
before he can relish his victory, Sesha is slapped with the charge of sexually
offending a young nurse. This time round, the case is strong and his supporters
are uncertain. Worse, his teenage daughter calls him 'vile' and walks out of
the house. While Mythili, his wife promises her full support, her secretive
activities—undertaken with the help of a
retired cop—is a cause of concern for Sesha.

Will
Zarina, the human-rights activist, succeed in bringing him down? What about the
insinuations of a celebrity lawyer that he is casteist and anti-minorities?
When the young nurse is found dead, the case becomes even more
complex. Who is innocent? Who is guilty? And who is the mastermind?

Book title:

Surpanakha

What was your
favorite part of writing this book?

The initial five
chapters and the last chapter. These are my favourites for exactly the opposite
reasons. The first few chapters have to be fast paced. The different dimensions
of the crime should be unveiled in quick succession. Before the reader can
think of putting down the book, he should be surprised with new revelation.

The last chapter— the denouement—
should gradually untie the knots. There should be drama. You should prolong the
conclusion a bit with intelligent arguments so that the reader feels on edge. Arguments
should be intelligent as to not just cover all the loose ends but also make the
reader feel why he could not deduce what the main character was concluding.

What inspired
your latest novel?

A couple of years ago,
a law intern alleged that a retired judged behaved in a sexually inappropriate
manner with her. Celebrity lawyers took up her case. Media hounded the judge.
He was forced to resign from a strategic post retirement job. Thereafter when
the police registered a case and wanted the victim to testify, she vanished. We
don’t know what happened. Was there pressure on her not to testify? Or was it
decided that the purpose had been achieved? Neither the celebrity lawyers nor
media felt obliged to explain their position to the masses.

Secondly, a series of
articles by an IIM professor on the mushrooming NGOs and their questionable
sources of funds forced me to think. Around the same time there were reports
that well-known personalities who were running foreign funded NGOs were using
the funds for buying branded jewellery, clothing and shoes! It made me wonder
what the underlying motivation could be for floating such NGOs.

Both the above gave
rise to a lot of what ifs in me and
pushed me into the realm of fiction. And the novel was born. I would, however,
like to clarify that it is not a real life story.

Are there any
complex characters in your book? If so tell us a little about them.

Obviously
Zarina, the human rights activist. She gets everything she wants in life—power,
fame, and recognition. The Central Government awards her Padma Shri, the fourth
highest civilian award, in recognition of her services. When she pursues the charges
against Sesha, the powerful chief minister of Tamil Nadu, she gets the support
of media and celebrity lawyers. Is she happy with she has got in life? If not,
why?

If you could pick
any author to review your book who would you pick and why?

More
than an author, I would prefer a journalist to review the book as it revolves
around contemporary issues and media’s coverage of those issues. It would be
like showing a mirror to a journalist. Whether he likes the image, is what the
review will be about.

Did you learn
anything new while working on this book?

I
had preconceived notions on activists, journalists and celluloid personalities.
But then as I started writing chapters from their viewpoint, there was a subtle
change in me; inadvertently I started appreciating why they do what they do.

Did you have to
research anything when writing this story?

The
novel revolves around political controversies and human rights violations. So,
I spent a good amount of time researching the legal and constitutional
provisions, how media houses run the show in the wake of dwindling ad revenues…

Genre/Author/Reader:

Who would you
recommend this book to?

This
is a political thriller. Social media deals with these issues on a daily basis.
So, the youngsters in India and NRI would be able to connect with this book
easily.

What is the first
book you remember reading, that affected how you thought or felt about
something?

Panchatantra
stories were one of the earliest books I read. They continue to be my favorites
even today. They influence the way I see life and condition my responses to
unexpected developments.

Which three
authors have inspired you the most, and why?

1)
Arun Shourie

2)
Ayaan Hirsi Ali

3)
Rajiv Malhotra

I
like all of them for the same reason: their fearless, relentless pursuit if
truth.

Have you ever read
a book that you didn’t like in the beginning but ended up glad that you stuck
with it and finished the story?

This
has happened to me more with movies. There are quite a few of them; I had
resisted the intense urge to leave the movie hall in the first 15 minutes and I
was happy that I did.

What are your
thoughts of e-books versus printed copy?

I
like to read e-books in my tab. I am not a particular fan of printed books.

How old were you
when you first began writing seriously?

Fifty.
I started blogging on media and current affairs.

Do you have a
favorite genre?

My first preference is
for non-fiction. In fiction, I like thrillers.

Do you need to be
anywhere special to get in the mood to write?

Early
morning, my writing table and filter coffee—all these bring out the best in me.

What were three
challenges you faced when writing your book?

1)
The book deals with sensitive and emotional issues. I had to tread carefully
while dealing with these issues. My writing has to induce interest in the
reader, yet it has to be balanced.

2)
When the book went through the first round of editing, the editor suggested
that I rearrange a few scenes. This was tough. If I had to move a scene up by a
few chapters, all references to the scene in the interim chapters had to be
removed.

3)
How to end a chapter with a question or suspense so that the reader doe not think
of taking a break.

What is one of
your favorite sources for research and why?

Internet.
Discussions with my lawyer friends.

Do you rely on
other authors to help you in any way? If so what?

Not
really.

Was there a time
when you felt possessed by a character when you were writing? If so from which
book and which character?

There is a character in Surpanakha
by the name Janaki. She is a Brahmin girl and falls in love with a Muslim
director who comes to Srirangam for a shoot. She elopes with him. Her marriage
turns out to be a failure. At the time I was writing this part of Surpanakha, I
read Avarana by S L Bhyrappa. Janaki’s story was very similar to that of Laxmi
alias Rasia, the lead character of Avarana. Inspired by what Bhyrappa had
written, I started writing 2-3 chapters on the travails of Janaki. Then a beta
reader pointed out that Janaki had a limited role in my novel. By bloating her
character, I was confusing the reader as to who the real lead character was.

Do you take part
in creating your book cover and if so what do you find the most difficult part
of the process?

Yes,
I did. I created the concept by using images from Google. Then the publisher’s
artist came up improved on it. It was a fairly simple process.

What part of the writing
process becomes the most critical for you?

The
changes I had to incorporate during editing.

What is the most
common interview question that you dread answering and why?

Almost
any question on my personal preferences. I am a moderate introvert and would
like to talk less about me.

Do you envision
any known actors/actresses as characters in your book?

Perhaps
Konakana Sen Sharma for the role of Mythili.

What are your
favorite methods of promoting your work?

I
am doing it for the first time. So, I am enjoying everything now. Maybe I will
form an opinion at the end of this process.

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About Me

I am a mother, a sister, an author, a cat, dog, and pet lover and most of all a lover of life who is thankful for all my blessings. I find myself in a place many consider to be "midlife". I see this time as new beginnings and new opportunities! No matter where you are in your life, NEVER GIVE UP!